


Father's Day Shenanigans

by LionessRinoaVIII



Series: SMAA Collection [15]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Companion Piece, Cute Kids, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Father Figures, Father's Day, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fatherhood, Fluff without Plot, Married Life, Oneshot, POV First Person, Parent Rinoa Heartilly, Parent Squall Leonhart, SeeDs In Training, Skating, Timber Garden, Timber Liberation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25272220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LionessRinoaVIII/pseuds/LionessRinoaVIII
Summary: Happy Birthday Julia! To honor Squall and Rinoa's daughter's birthday (July 14th), I decided to write her a oneshot today. It's father's day, and Squall takes her and a friend out roller skating. Hilarity ensues. Fluff without plot. Squall's POV.
Series: SMAA Collection [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765453
Kudos: 1





	Father's Day Shenanigans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xadrea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xadrea/gifts).



It was my fourteenth Father’s Day as a parent, and after a long week of monotonous work at Timber Garden, I was more than ready to spend some quality time with my family. My marriage with Rinoa was as strong and happy as ever, and we had two beautiful children, a son and a daughter, who were our entire world. I had retired as Garden’s Commander after our son arrived, and I had grown accustomed to a domestic life as Headmaster that I never thought I’d have. Unfortunately, my nine-year-old, Noctis, had inherited a great deal of my...more problematic personality traits, and he had been an absolute terror that bright Sunday morning. 

Dramatic tears were running down his pale cheeks as Rinoa barred him from the outing to the skating rink I was taking his sister and her friend Tatsuki on. My heart ached to see my son so upset, but he was going to have to learn one of these days. He couldn’t tell his sister he wished she wasn’t alive and get away with it, especially not after we had nearly lost her some years back to an injury that had been meant for me. Noctis was a little jealous of his sister, and I understood that, but I also understood why Rinoa was being so stern with him. 

I knelt down and ebbed his tears away with my thumb, slapping a gentle smile to my face as I forced him to look me in the eyes. “Now Noctis, I want you to know that it’s killing me that I can't spend my day with you. I love you, son, but you’ve got to knock this shit off, okay? You really hurt your sister's feelings. And she loves you, too, you know that? Why do you treat her like that?” 

My son shrugged his little shoulders, and cast his big brown doe eyes toward the carpet. “You and Mama think she’s so perfect. It’s like she’s better than me. I didn’t...I didn’t really mean it...I just--” The water works started up again and I pressed a kiss to the center of his forehead. 

“Oh, Piper, I know you didn’t mean it. Listen, buddy, when we get home I want you to apologize to her, and then if you’ve been a good boy for Mommy I'll spend my whole day with you tomorrow. Just us. How does that sound?” I had tried to get out of the habit of calling him Piper, it wasn’t even close to being his name, but I’d gotten so used to it while Rinoa was pregnant with him. She’d called him Sandpiper...because he was conceived on a beach in Centra. 

His small face brightened considerably, and he tugged at my bomber jacket, clinging to me like a spider monkey. “You mean it, Daddy? Just us?” 

I chuckled and ruffled his messy black hair. “I promise.” 

I kissed Rinoa goodbye, more than a little sad that she wouldn’t be joining us either. Someone had to stay at home and watch the boy. That would be okay, I supposed, in the end, because I knew my wife had something special planned for when we got home. Rinoa was sexually adventurous as it was, and on Father’s Day and my birthday especially, she’d cook something kinky up to show how much she loved me. I didn’t need sex, I loved her with my whole being, but it was thoughtful of her nonetheless. 

Julia was a little sad, holding my hand tightly as we walked down the street to the Timber Pet Shop to collect Tatsuki. I knew she felt like a horrible sister on the days Noctis was pitching his little fits. But Noctis was just a little boy, he would grow out of it soon, and I didn’t want her dwelling on anything that might damage her self-esteem. I squeezed her hand as tight as I could, and tilted her chin to look at me as we ambled along the cobblestone streets. “Julie, baby, no sad faces. Your brother didn’t mean what he said, and you and I are going to have a blast today.” 

Her lips twitched a little, like she might cry, and she sighed as she turned her grey eyes toward the cloudy sky. “I think it’s karma, Daddy. For being so mean when Mama was pregnant with him. I...didn’t want a sibling, until I got to hold him the first time. Now he hates me.” 

“He doesn’t hate you, baby. He’s just a little jealous, because I’m so proud of you. You made me a father, Jules. I adore you. He sees that, and he thinks I don’t feel the same way about him, which isn’t true. I don’t want you thinking that has any reflection on you. I promise it doesn’t.” I explained, watching her expression intently as she seemed to mull it over in her head for a few moments. 

She pulled the brightest smile she could from her repertoire of Noa smiles, and if she hadn’t had my eyes and hair I’d had have sworn they were twins in that moment. “You’re proud of me?” 

Her dark brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and I reached to tenderly brush her bangs from her eyes. “You know I am. You and your brother are the greatest things I’ve ever done with my life.” That seemed to satisfy her, and she happily hugged my arm to her side. I smirked, and my heart felt lighter as we approached the shop that Julia’s best friend’s mother owned. 

I pushed the door open, and a small welcoming bell rang as a woosh of cool air chilled the sweat on my brow. June was always a hot month in Timber, and I was thankful for the air conditioning as Tatsuki’s mother, Hina, waved us up to the register. “Good morning First Gentleman Leonhart! And good morning to you too Miss Julia!” She said brightly, offering a small polite salute. I chuckled at the formality; it was definitely where Tatsuki got it from. 

“Good morning, Mrs. Mamoru. Is Tatsuki here today? We thought he might like to join us; we’re headed to the skating rink.” I liked to include Tatsuki whenever I could on Father's Day. I knew it must bother the boy, since he had never gotten to meet his own father. I never wanted him to feel left out. He was a good kid, and he was such a great friend to my little girl. I knew what it was like to watch all the other kids hang out with their dad’s when I didn’t have one. I hadn’t met Laguna until I was seventeen years old. 

“Oh, thank you, he’s going to be so excited. He’s in the back, let me go get him!” She excused herself, and I glanced down at Julia. She was literally bouncing with excitement, and a small smirk curled at the corner of my mouth. I had a sneaking suspicion that one of these days she and Tatsuki were going to be like Rinoa and I—and I couldn’t even be mad about it. I couldn’t have hand picked a better Cadet for her if I’d tried. 

Tatsuki ran out to greet us, face turning red as he made eye contact with my daughter. A goofy smirk stretched across his face, and I smiled knowingly to myself. Oh, they were definitely going to be like Rinoa and I. “H-Hi, Julie. Good morning.” 

Julia avoided his gaze, though she was clearly happy to see him. “Hi.” 

I wrapped an arm lazily around my daughter’s shoulder and opened my free arm for Tatsuki to link within his own. “What are you waiting for, kiddo? It’s Father's Day, let's go have fun.” The kid’s face lit up like I’d just offered him a million Gil, and he squeezed my arm with his own without uttering a word. I’d been helping the kid settle into a routine at Garden since he was four, he was my little protégé. I felt like he was a son of my own. 

The kids chattered amongst themselves as we walked to the skating rink, which wasn’t far. Timber hadn’t had one when we had first moved, but the larger the families grew under our now thriving nation and government, the more silly little things like that were needed, and started popping up in the smaller corners of the country's capital city, where we lived. I was content within my own thoughts, for once. I had never been one to like being alone with my thoughts, but the kids made me happy. I had really grown into being a husband and father, and I was finally...happy with my life. 

Before we knew it we had arrived at our destination, and both kids clung to me as I rented their skates. I didn’t rent any for myself because...fuck that, no one was seeing me caught dead in a pair of roller skates, but I was going to teach the kids as best I could. There was hardly anyone there, which was perfect, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how terrified both children were as I laced up their skates. “You two aren’t going to cling to me the whole time are you?” 

“It’s Father's Day.” Julia countered smoothly. “We _should_ be spending it with you.” 

I rolled my eyes and led the skittish kids out onto the skate floor, one holding each of my hands, and I laughed gently to myself as poor Tatsuki struggled even then to maintain his balance. “You’re going to be a SeeD one day, Cadet. You’ve gotta learn to stay firm on your feet, c’mon.” 

Tatsuki looked up at me with a determination that melted my insides. He always worked so hard for my approval. He was thirteen years old and already a year ahead of track to graduating. He wanted to be me more than my own son did. I could feel Noctis giving up on chasing my shadow, which was alright, I didn’t expect that of any of my children. But Tatsuki? He idolized me in a way that I never anticipated. “Is this a training exercise, sir?” 

I had to fight off a wheeze. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “No, kiddo, but if you’re struggling with balance this outta help.” I knew it wasn’t a question of _if_ , I’d read Zell’s reports. The kid was excellent and excelling at almost everything we threw at him, but balance? That wasn’t his strong suit. Luckily he had a few years yet to get that down. “I’m gonna give you each a little push and then I’m gonna let go, okay? One, two, three…” 

I wriggled my hands out of their firm grasps, and watched with amusement as Julia automatically wrapped her arms around the nearby railing and Tatsuki’s shaky legs betrayed him. He was on his butt in a matter of seconds, and Julia’s grey eyes widened as she reached for him. “Grab my hand!” 

Julia was woven around the rail with half of her body, and leaning toward her friend with the other half. She grasped for him desperately, but her arms were too short to reach. I stood back with my arms against my chest and raised an eyebrow at the children. They were never going to be SeeD’s at this rate. I wanted to watch their teamwork. “Juli-B, remember what Instructor Dincht taught you in class. About rescuing squad members.” Her forehead crinkled like she was trying desperately to remember, and I smirked to myself. Hell. I supposed this _was_ kind of a training exercise. 

Quistis and Zell were both teachers at Garden, though both Instructor Dincht’s taught separate subjects, fields, and occasionally age groups. Quistis taught the younger Cadets, pre-k grade and little older, while her husband taught a lot of the teenaged students. That being said, Quistis also taught classes on team survival and I was curious to know how much of it my daughter was retaining. The protection of junior classmen _always_ supersedes your own safety. Julia struggled for a moment, but I literally watched her expression change as the realization hit. 

Julia put on a brave face and straightened herself, letting go of the rail and its safety with trembling hands. She slowly glided her way to Tatsuki and bent to pull him up by his wrist. Tatsuki clung to her, and he shot her a sheepish smile as she proudly slapped me with a smug smirk. “I remembered, Daddy!” 

“That’s my good girl. And look at you! You skated just fine, there was nothing for you to be afraid of.” 

I had…praised them a little prematurely. Tatsuki brushed a strand of Julia’s hair back from her face, and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek for saving him from falling. It was innocent, so I was going to allow it, but Julia seemed offended and recoiled from him instantly. I had taught my little girl well. “What are you doing? That’s gross!” She backed away from him on instinct, and the poor boy floundered. 

“W-Wait! I’m sorry!” Tatsuki grabbed at the straps of her moss green overalls. The sudden extra weight on her torso jerked the girl's body forward and her lips crashed violently into his own as she body slammed him hard against the floor. Both children turned bright red, and I just couldn’t control myself. My sides were splitting with painful laughter, and I fought tears as I watched them playfully punch and pull at each other in an attempt at detangling. 

“Daddy it isn’t funny!” Julia pouted, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at her now red and swollen ankle. “My leg hurts!” 

_Oh, jeez._ I thought as I composed myself and pushed my long brunette bangs back behind my ears. _Rinoa’s_ _gonna_ _kill me if I bring the baby back with a broken ankle._ Tatsuki scooted up beside her and very delicately rubbed at her scraped and bleeding knee. “I’m sorry, Julie. This is all my fault.” 

I opened my mouth to tell Tatsuki he was absolutely fine, when my daughter surprised me. She had a knack for being a little vindictive, but I guessed Tatsuki was a special case. She smiled at him, and placed her hand on top of his own. “It’s okay, I know it wasn’t on purpose. Just...ask if you’re gonna kiss me next time, kay?” 

My protective daddy instincts kicked in a little, and I scowled deeply at both of them, though I made sure to keep the tone of my voice playful. “Let’s save the kissing for when you’re both forty, am I clear?” 

Julia giggled a little, but I thought Tatsuki might actually die for a moment as both kids shot me an awkward SeeD salute. “Yes, sir.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Characters belong to Square Enix.


End file.
